


One Last Night

by CelticGrace



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-08-31 08:38:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8571724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelticGrace/pseuds/CelticGrace
Summary: Shepard and Kaidan take one last opportunity to relax on the Citadel before the fleet heads to Cronos Station.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mythology-master (RedHeadedCommander)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedHeadedCommander/gifts).



“This has been a long time coming.”  Shepard stood on a chair in the Port Observation Lounge, where every last member of the crew had gathered.  “Tomorrow, we’ll hit the Illusive Man where it hurts and then on to Earth to end this fucking war once and for all!”

A cheer went up from the crowd, quickly silenced when Shepard held up a hand.

“Tomorrow will be hard on everyone, but harder, damn impossible even, if everyone is stressed.  So tonight, take time for yourselves.  Get off the goddamn ship – that includes you, Joker – and enjoy yourselves.”  She jumped off the chair and added, “that’s an order!” when Joker grumbled.

Shepard smiled at the low murmur of everyone making plans as they left the lounge and dispersed back throughout the ship.  The war had been a goddamn nightmare, but the crew – _her crew_ – had done a damn fine job.  And they’d gotten little relief from it all; their last shore leave, on Hackett’s orders, had been what felt like a lifetime ago.

“You’re looking proud of yourself,” Kaidan said from the doorway, a knowing smile on his face. “You look like you’ve just achieved the impossible.”

Shepard’s smile widened to a grin as she sauntered across the room and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.  “I managed to release Joker’s iron grip on the ship with only minor grumbling.  That _is_ achieving the impossible.”

“More impossible than uniting the krogan and turians, or the quarians and geth?”

She scoffed.  “Those were child’s play compared to dealing with Joker’s stubborn ass.”

“I heard that, Commander!” Joker’s voice called from somewhere down the hall.  “I am _not_ –”

The pilot’s rant was cut short when Shepard reached past Kaidan to palm the lounge door closed.

“Thought we were supposed to be leaving,” Kaidan teased, his voice almost breathless as Shepard trailed kisses along his jaw.  “Y-your orders.”

“We will,” she murmured, continuing her kisses down from his jaw to his throat until she stopped at the open collar of his bdus.  “We’ve got a reservation at the Arena in,” she lifted her head to check her omni-tool, “an hour and a half.”

“Plenty of time then.”  Kaidan groaned when Shepard’s hands joined in the fun, moving from his shoulders down to undo the rest of his shirt buttons before removing the garment altogether and tossing it over her shoulder.  His undershirt immediately followed.  “Why don’t we move this upstairs?”

“Mm that’s an idea.”  Shepard winked and nudged Kaidan back a few steps until his back hit the wall before she dropped to her knees in front of him.  “But I don’t think I can wait that long.”

Her nimble fingers made quick work of his belt, button, and zipper while he toed his boots off, his boxers and socks the last things to land on the pile of clothes near the center of the room.  She hummed in approval when he finally stood gloriously naked before her.  She sat back on her haunches for a moment to admire the view before she took his cock in hand, leaned forward, and began a long, slow lick from root to tip.  He groaned in appreciation when she slid her lips over the head, still working him with one hand, the other braced on his hip to keep her balance.

After a few minutes, Kaidan had apparently had enough, as he pulled her to her feet and flipped their positions, pressing her against the wall as he hurriedly undid all the fastenings that held her uniform together.  Shepard growled impatiently when he made no move to remove her bra and underwear.  He just took a step back and grinned.

“Kaidan, I swear to every deity that exists, if you don’t get your sexy ass over here right now…”  Instead of waiting for a response, she closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around his shoulders again, this time as leverage to pull herself up and wrap her legs around his waist.  

He wrapped one arm around her waist and threaded the other hand through her hair as he pulled her into a fierce kiss, and took two steps forward to press her against the wall once more.  A few quick moves and Shepard's bra and underwear topped the pile of clothes.

They both sighed with relief as he finally entered her, moving slowly until he was buried to the hilt.  A long minute passed where neither of them moved, both content just to be with each other, in this moment – one they might not ever have again.

What had started as a frenzied and lustful ‘quickie in the closet’ as Jack called them had turned into a slow and passionate expression of every emotion Kaidan and Shepard shared: fear of the coming battle, hope for the future, and the overwhelming love they had for each other.

They slowly worked up to a powerful climax, their shouts of ecstasy muffled in the other’s shoulder, before they collapsed in a heap on the floor.  

It was several minutes before either of them made any attempt to move, or even speak.

“That was…” Kaidan still sounded breathless.

Shepard nodded, a tired grin pulling at her lips.  “Yeah.”

EDI’s voice cut through the haze.  “I’m sorry to interrupt, Commander, Major.”

“What is it, EDI?”

“Admiral Hackett is requesting your presence on the QEC, Commander.”

Shepard muttered a litany of curses as she struggled to her feet and began rounding up her clothes.  “Fine.  Tell him I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Very well, Commander.  Logging you out.”

“Hopefully this won’t take long,” Shepard said, straightening her collar and running a hand through her hair.  She raised a questioning brow.  “How do I look?”

Kaidan’s smirk and response were decidedly smug.  “Like you’ve been thoroughly fucked.”

“That is _not_ helping.” She stuck her tongue out at him but then stepped up to brush her lips against his.  “If I’m not done by our reservation time, go on without me and I’ll meet you there.”

* * *

What felt like an eternity later, Shepard palmed the door controls to The Loft, already weary and in desperate need of a shower.  Steam wafted from the open bathroom door, as if beckoning her to come inside .

“Is there any hot water left?” she groused as she looked down the stairs at Kaidan, already decked out in his armor, sitting on one of the couches, looking over a report.

He glanced over the top of the datapad in his hand.  “Of course.  Don’t know how much though, and don’t take too long.  Our reservation’s in half an hour.”

Shepard rolled her eyes as she stripped once more and stepped into the bathroom.  “They’ll wait.  They always do.”

She wasn’t wrong; by the time they made it from the docks to the Strip – packed with more people than ever – they were nearly twenty minutes past their reserved timeslot, but it had been held over for them.

“Anything for Commander Shepard,” said the turian who stood guard at the stairs leading to the locker rooms.  He gave them both a salute and ushered them down the stairs.  “Your match starts in five minutes.”

“Can I ask you something?” Kaidan said as they strapped on their weapons and waited for the signal.  Shepard nodded and he continued.  “You ordered the crew to relax before we head into the final battle tomorrow.  So why are we _here_ of all places?  Why not the arcade or… anything that’s not a reminder of war?”

She shrugged.  “This _is_ relaxing for me.  But it also keeps me on my toes, keeps my skills sharp.” She snorted a laugh.  “Also, I’m avoiding the arcade, in case I get suckered into winning another stuffed animal for Zaeed.”

The image of the grizzled old bounty hunter shouting abuses at the claw machine would stay with her forever; in the month or so since the incident, it had caused her to break out in uncontrollable giggles at the most inappropriate times.

A disembodied voice overhead announced the next match – Shepard & Alenko, the first and only human Spectres vs assorted reaper forces.

“If you want to back out, Kaidan,” Shepard said as she readied her assault rifle, “I’ll understand. If this –”

He cut her off with a kiss and primed his own rifle.  “Never mind that now.  It’s time to kick some Reaper ass.”

* * *

Winning the first match seemed to fuel Kaidan’s hunger for battle, as he set up match after match, with varying opponents.  They won them all, though not easily.  The final match of the night pitted the two lovers against one another in a two on two match – Shepard and James vs Kaidan and Liara – to determine which was superior, brawn or biotics.

Despite a resounding defeat, Shepard left the Arena feeling light and happy.  She was bruised and exhausted, but she knew she’d sleep well.  

She smiled to herself as she and Kaidan walked arm-in-arm across the strip to Tiberius Towers, to the apartment Anderson had left her.  It had been a long time since she’d seen Kaidan so thoroughly relaxed.  She knew the last few years hadn’t been easy for him, in any capacity, and the war alone had aged him considerably.  But now, he almost looked like the young lieutenant she’d met so long ago the night before the Normandy’s shakedown cruise.

Kaidan went to bed almost immediately, warning Shepard not to stay up too late.  “Won’t do for our brilliant and fearless leader to yawn in the middle of a morale booster,” he quipped before he ascended the stairs to the master bedroom.

 _Brilliant and fearless_ .  Not the words Shepard would have used to describe herself, especially not now, in the face of such a daunting task.   _More like clueless and scared shitless._

She stayed up for hours, reading data pads filled with strategy, words of encouragement, and numbers.  Death toll, weapons, available personnel.  The words began to blur after awhile and she decided to call it a night.  There was nothing new she could learn at this point anyway.  

She climbed into bed and settled back against Kaidan’s warm and solid chest; even as he slept on, his arm came up to wrap around her waist and she relaxed under the weight of it.  Feeling safe and secure in the arms of the man she loved, the one she’d loved through every trial and heartache they’d endured, she fell into a deep and restful sleep.

Shepard woke hours later bolstered by a newfound confidence.  As the crew gathered again and boarded the Normandy once more, that confidence spread.  By the time they reached the Horsehead Nebula and Cronos Station, Shepard had no doubt in her mind that they were heading for victory.  The war almost over.


End file.
